Greater Manchester prepares for King Charles III Coronation with weekend of parties

The last time such a ceremony was staged was almost 70 years ago when the late Queen Elizabeth II’s was crowned on June 2, 1953. The coronation of her son, King Charles III, and Camilla the Queen Consort will take place on May 6.

The ceremony will take place on the Saturday morning at Wesminster Abbey in London, but there will be plenty of opportunities to be part of it in Greater Manchester. The weekend – which includes a bank holiday on Monday, May 8 – see events held across the 10 boroughs to celebrate the unique occassion.

Big screens will be put up in public places across the UK – including in Oldham and Manchester city centre – giving people a chance to watch the ceremony together.

Communities across the country will be encouraged to share food and a cup of tea with neighbours on Sunday, May 7 as part of the ‘Big Lunch’.

And on Monday, May 8, the ‘Big Help Out’ will see residents of all ages volunteer for various projects as part of a national scheme. Meanwhile, local authorities are organising their own events to mark the momentous milestone.

Street parties will also take place across Greater Manchester with councils set to close some roads. However, the deadline to apply for road closures is soon.

Manchester council’s deputy leader, Luthfur Rahman OBE, said: “The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort is a historic moment and a momentous occasion for the whole country.

“From sharing sandwiches with your neighbours to rolling up your sleeves and volunteering together, there’s a number of ways that Mancunians from all corners of the city can mark the occasion. I’d encourage all to have a look and see how their community can come together and get involved.”

Here’s what’s happening across Greater Manchester to mark the coronation.

Bolton

Bolton council is offering free road closures to those who wish to hold their own Coronation Big Lunches and street parties, like the ones held in the borough in 1953 to celebrate the last coronation. They will be available over the weekend of May 6 to 8, but applications close on Friday, March 31.

The council said that this is to carry out the necessary checks to make sure events are safe and applications are processed in time. More information can be found online at www.bolton.gov.uk/roads-pavements/street-parties.

Bury

Communities in Bury who wish to host street parties can apply for a road closure for free because the council has waived the usual fees for the coronation. Eight applications have already been received by the council.

But the deadline to apply for a road closure is Friday, April 7. For more information, visit www.bury.gov.uk/local-leisure-events/events-guidance.

Manchester

Piccadilly Gardens will host one of two public screenings in the North West where people can watch the coronation on Saturday, May 6. Manchester council is also encouraging residents all over the city to celebrate the historic weekend together with their neighbours by hosting a traditional street party.

For those wanting to host a street party, the deadline to submit an application to close a road is Friday, April 21. The usual road closure fee will be waived.

For residents interested in volunteer opportunities, the Manchester Volunteer Inspire Programme (MCRVIP) is an online platform managed by the council which has a wide range of events and activities that anyone could get involved with – not only during the bank holiday weekend, but throughout the year.

To find the latest opportunities, register online at: https://mcrvip.com/index-classic. To apply for a road closure visit: www.manchester.gov.uk/coronation

Oldham

The only other government-funded public screening planned in the North West will be at Parliament Square in Oldham. The council claims the borough is planning the biggest Coronation celebration across Greater Manchester.

There will be a town centre festival taking place in Oldham on Saturday, May 6 with a line up of the ‘Best of British Music’ tribute acts including Queen II, Gladness, Do It Like DUA, The Threetles and Tania as Amy Winehouse plus a whole host of family-friendly activities and strolling street performers. Grants worth £100 have also been released for 100 lucky street party organisers

The deadline to apply for a road closure or a Coronation Street Party Grant is April 11 or when the 100 grants have all been assigned, whichever comes first.

Rochdale

The deadline is fast approaching in Salford to apply for grants to hold events for the coronation. Applications for grants, street closures and other outdoor events is Friday (March 31) and can be accessed on Salford council’s website.

Anyone organising an event in a park or green space will need to get public liability insurance for their event. Salford-based organisations with approval for an outdoor event in open spaces or local parks can apply for a King Charles III Coronation Grant for events taking place in the city between May 4 and 8.

There are two types of grants are available – grants under £500 aimed at non-constituted groups, where the event is open to local residents, groups and members, and grants over £500 aimed at constituted groups, where the event is open to the wider community. The events are expected to be free to attend.

People can apply to fund items such as publicity costs, costs for buying road closure signage, PA system hire, insurance cover, marshalling and first-aiders, entertainment and event infrastructure, such as barriers and toilets. Food and drink cannot be funded via this grant.

For more information, visit www.salford.gov.uk/parks-and-open-spaces/organising-an-event-in-a-salford-public-park-green-space-or-open-space/

Stockport

Stockport council says it wants to support all residents to mark the historic occasion. People can apply for a street party application on the council’s website – all relevant documentation such as risk assessments are required.

The deadline for applications for coronation street parties over the additional Bank Holiday weekend is April 7. Stockport council is also planning events and borough-wide celebrations to mark the coronation with more details coming soon. If you have any queries, please email [email protected].

Tameside

Tameside council was asked to provide details of street parties and grants available for the coronation celebrations, as well as any official events. However, the local authority did not respond to the request before publication.

According to the council’s website, closing a road to host a street party is ‘completely free’ and there are plenty of resources to help residents plan it. Anyone wishing to get involved with the Big Lunch who does not want to hold a street party can find out more information on the Eden Project Communities website at www.edenprojectcommunities.com/big-lunch-resources/organise-a-big-lunch.

The deadline to apply to close a road in Tameside during the coronation weekend is April 10. For more information, visit the council’s website at www.tameside.gov.uk/streetparties

Trafford

Applications for outdoor coronation events across Trafford in celebration of the crowning of King Charles III must be completed by Friday, March 31. Anyone who wants to hold a ‘big lunch in the park’ event, must complete an application form which is available on the council’s website at www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/community/partnerships-and-communities/Outdoor-events.aspx.

People planning a street party should also complete the street party application form at www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/community/partnerships-and-communities/guidance-notes-for-street-parties.aspx.

Wigan

The local authority is hosting a pair of flagship events over the historic weekend, hoping to recapture the feel-good factor of last year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Community groups and organisations will be able to apply for free road closures to help host their own commemorative activities.

Wigan council will also be providing toolkits and templates to help families get kitted out in Royal colours. Local traders and organisations can also take part.

In Leigh, the Big Coronation Lunch will take place on Sunday, May 7, outside Leigh Town Hall and the Turnpike Centre, where visitors will be encouraged to their own picnics as part of the national initiative. In Wigan, the Mayor will host a Coronation Party in the Park, on Monday, May 8, at Mesnes Park.

Both will be held between 11am and 4pm with an array of local entertainment, food and drink, performers, fun-fairs and family-fun. To support community celebrations across the borough, Wigan council will cover the cost of road closure applications to encourage neighbourhood street parties.

Applications are encouraged before Friday, March 31, to help with the administration process. For more information visit the council’s website at www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Leisure/King-Charles-III-Coronation-Celebrations.aspx